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Thread: Back tweaks easily

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2020
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    7

    Default Back tweaks easily

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    Dear Nick,

    Since my early 20s I have had a lower back that hurts and that easily tweaks. Often it happened without any clear reason. I went to see a doctor and he examined my back and said to start training with weights. And so I did and held the pain in check.

    In my late 20s I stopped lifting because I did a lot of heavy manual labor and got kids that needed my attention. With older kids and the change to a desk office job I began to feel that my low back started to hurt again. It came sneaking up on me and eventually at the start of 2020 I started lifting again, doing the linear progression 3x5 program as described in PPST. I am now 39 years, weighing 210 pounds at 5 feet 10".

    Since I started training again I have had three back tweaks, two in my lower back and one in my upper back. All three happened during deadlifiting. The one where my upper back tweaked sounded pretty bad, but healed fast by training with reduced load. The two times where my lower back tweaked happened quietly.

    Generally I feel stiff in the mornings, but after an hour or so I am fine. Also after doing bench press I often feel something, but I am still able to complete most workouts. I am ok to live with this issue, but it would have been nicer to not get these tweaks specially because it stalls progress for the deadlift. I am now lifting more or less the same weight on squats as on deadlifts because I am afraid to push myself on the deadlifting.

    An example how I warmed up last time my back tweaked: Dynamic warmup, 5x45 - 5x135 - 5x205 - 5x250 - 5x285 - 5x320 - "1/2»x355.

    Do you think something can be done with this? I am not willing to do any surgery, then I would rather live with the current situation.

    Best regards,
    Stan

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
    Posts
    47

    Default

    Stan,

    This is something that you want to get under control in order to keep your training moving forward. This may even be as simple as form issue. I suggest you start there and get some eyes on you. But first just some follow up questions.

    -Typically after you tweak your back, how long does it take to recover? a few days, a couple of weeks?
    -Each time you tweaked your back, was it around the same weight?
    -Do you wear a belt when you squat and deadlift? press or bench?
    -During your warm up you should be decreasing the reps as you add weight for each warm up set. For example using the weights you provided:
    135x5
    205x3
    250x2
    285x1
    320x1

    Your warm ups involve to much volume and are too fatiguing.

    Keep me posted

    If your interested in an online form check, you can email me at cpalladino29@gmail.com

    Good luck
    Last edited by Chris Palladino; 12-07-2020 at 08:02 PM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Posts
    399

    Default

    You can cut way back on deadlift warmup reps. This will leave you fresher for your workset, which should make it easier to maintain form and avoid back tweaks. For 355x3, try 135x4, 190x1, 245x1, 300x1, then 355x3

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Posts
    7

    Default

    Hi Chris,

    Thank you for the reply!


    It typically takes a few weeks before I fully recover from a tweak. That said, I never fully recover in terms of not having minor pain and a stiff back in the morning, but recover to a state where I am able to perform a workout without much pain after warming up.

    I don’t remember what weight I used the first time tweaking in 2020, but the second time it was at 300 on the third rep, while the third time it was at 355 on the first rep.

    I started to wear a belt (3 inch) this summer and use it on my final warmups and the working sets for deadlift and squat. The first and second tweaks happened before I started to wear a belt and the third tweak happened with the belt. The third tweak was not in my lower back, but higher up, and that has never happened before to me.

    When warming up I do as you describe for all exercises except for the deadlift. I thought that one was supposed to work up to a single set of five, by doing fives since it is only one working set, while the other exercises have three working sets.

    I actually have a video showing the tweak (second time) at 300. If you have time you can look at it here. About online form check, I would rather take a new video of my deadlift when using a belt if you think some corrections are needed. On the video posed I raise my hips up between the sets, probably because it felt like I was able to tighten my gut better. After using the belt I don’t do this anymore and feel that my back is nice and tight throughout.

    DL 137.5kg x 3 + fail - YouTube

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
    Posts
    47

    Default

    I would wear the belt on at least your last 2 warm up sets.

    Based on the video: You are setting up too far from the bar. Step 1: stance- feet should be hip width apart, toes out 15-20 degrees, shins 1.5inches from the bar. Also, on each rep as your getting set your pushing the bar away with your shins. Don't move the bar in the set up. Both of these faults may be the cause of your back tweaks.

    If you require further assistance, email me at cpalladino29@gmail.com

    Good luck

  6. #6
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Posts
    7

    Default

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    Hi Chris,

    Thanks for the help! I will try those things and see how it goes. I will contact you on your email if assistance is needed.

    Also, thanks to Killmond for replying!


    Stan

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